The fear I have is that they will do "pops" concerts as a put-down. Too many pops programs feature pop tunes and excerpts, with cabaret singers and orchestral arrangements of music that should never be played by an orchestra. They are often poorly prepared by the orchestra and not given full commitment. That's not what I'm talking about.

I'm much more interested in serious Saturday-night sit-down concerts featuring orchestral music that actually has current commercial value.

Many composers and orchestras have forgotten that they are in the entertainment business, and that they must therefore provide a good return on the entertainment dollar. Complaining that the public is too ignorant to understand and appreciate their kind of music is both condescending and unproductive. But we do it all the time (me, too).

We have a potential audience, and superb musicians. Surely to goodness there is something the latter can do that will impress the former enough to cough up ticket money. Too few orchestras are directly attacking that specific relationship.

Rick "thinking the article described the problem but didn't simply enough outline the solution" Denney